Brazilian GP: Qualifying disappointing for Williams Martini

By Andrew Hooper
November 11 2017

Qualifying for the 2017 Brazilian GP would turn out to be a somewhat disappointing session for the Williams Martini team even with one of their drivers making it into the final period. For Lance Stroll he would get out late in the first period after an engine change but would only set a time good enough for 18th. For team-mate Felipe Massa he would quite easily make it into the final period only to have to abort his first run after getting mixed up with another car and then only managing 10th on his second. A somewhat disappointing result especially in light of the fact that it is Felipe's last Brazilian GP and to start higfher on the grid would have been great for the Brazilian.

Williams
Martini Brazilian Grand Prix Qualifying

Team Summary:
With the start of the opening eighteen minute period the majority of drivers
coming out were on the super soft tyre with the only the Ferrari team on the
soft tyre. But the period would be stopped when Hamilton would crash his car
at Turn six going into the barriers not having set a time. This would see
everyone pit while for Williams neither car had come out. The period would
restart with Verstappen reporting that his engine sounded a bit rough. There
would be a rush of drivers coming out with both Ferrari's still on the soft
tyre. A 1m:10.947 from Hulkenberg but quickly other drivers would move ahead
with Bottas going fastest with a 1m:10.053 from Raikkonen and Ricciardo.
Verstappen would go quickest with a 1m:09.966 from Bottas and Raikkonen.
Vettel would go quickest with a 1m:09.796 from Verstappen and Bottas.

Raikkonen would improve to be fastest with a 1m:09.405 from Bottas and now
Vettel in third. Verstappen was now fourth followed by Ricciardo, Perez,
Ocon, Alonso, Sainz and Felipe for Williams tenth. Five minutes remaining
and the top ten were all in their pits. Others were back out for second runs
with Grosjean moving up to seventh while Hulkenberg was now in sixth seeing
Grosjean eighth. With the end of the period the order was Raikkonen, Bottas,
Vettel, Felipe, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Perez, Grosjean, and Ocon
tenth.

With the start of the second fifteen minute period the only driver to not be
using the super soft tyre was Ricciardo on the soft tyre. A 1m:08.901 from
Bottas to go quickest. Vettel was second followed by Raikkonen, Verstappen,
Ricciardo, Alonso, Sainz, Perez, Vandoorne and Ocon. Felipe for Williams
would move into fifth but Ricciardo would move ahead seeing the Williams
sixth. With the final minutes of the period commencing everyone would come
back out. Perez would move into seventh but Hulkenberg would take this spot.
Grosjean was now in ninth while Alonso went sixth pushing the Williams down
to seventh as Felipe remained in his pit. Bottas would go quickest with a
1m:08.638 but Vettel would move ahead with a 1m:08.494. With the end of the
period the top ten was Vettel from Bottas, Verstappen Raikkonen, Ricciardo,
Alonso, Felipe, Hulkenberg, Perez and Sainz.

The final period of the session wuld commence with Bottas out first. A
1m:08.442 from Bottas with Verstappen now second. Vettel would go quickest
with a 1m:08.360 from Bottas and Raikkonen. Verstappen was fourth followed
by Ricciardo, Perez, Hulkenberg, Alonso and Sainz. Drivers would start to
pit after their first runs while for Williams Felipe would abort his first
run also pitting but without setting a time. Just under three minutes
remaining and Perez was first back out. All ten drivers were now out
including the Williams. Vettel would not improve but Bottas would improve to
be quickest with a 1m:08.322. Vettel was second from Raikkonen, Verstappen,
Ricciardo, Perez, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Sainz and the Williams tenth.

Felipe Massa:
Felipe would come out for his first run coming out on new super soft tyres.
Felipe would set a 1m:10.727 to be fifth but quickly he would drop to eighth
then down to tenth. Felipe would improve with a 1m:10.304 but would remain
tenth. After a four lap run he would pit. Felipe was back out on a new set
of super soft tyres. Felipe was on a quicker lap and would finish with a
1m:09.789 to be fourth improving from thirteenth. Felipe was out for his run
in the second period again on the super soft tyre. He would finish with a
1m:09.612 to be fifth behind Verstappen. He would drop to sixth now behind
Ricciardo. Felipe was still in his pit with a minute remaining. He would
drop to seventh as the period came to an end. With the start of the final
period Felipe would start in his pit as the other drivers came out for their
first runs. Felipe would come out for his first run but would abort his lap
having a moment with Sainz. Felipe would pit without setting a time. Felipe
would join the other drivers coming out for their second runs. Felipe would
only manage a 1m:09.841 to be tenth as the final period came to an end.

Lance
Stroll:
There was uncertainty as to whether Lance would get out for qualifying after
his engine and gearbox change. But with the first period been stopped the
team would get additional time. Lance would finally come out with just over
ten minutes remaining. A 1m:12.270 from Lance would see him slowest and he
was having a hard time of it. Lance would set a 1m:11.293 to be only
eighteenth as he pitted. He would return like Felipe on a new set of super
soft tyres. Lance was a quicker lap but would only set a 1m:10.776 to remain
eighteenth and out of qualifying. Lance was close to a second off his
team-mates time.